Children of Promise. Galatians 4:21-31 Paul uses two of Abraham's sons, Ishmael, the son of Hagar, a bondwoman, and Isaac, the son of Sarah, a freewoman, as examples to highlight the contrast between the bondage of the law and the freedom of grace that we receive when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Some facts from Abraham's life relate to us. Those who opposed Paul's teaching were arguing against what was written in the scriptures.
To clarify what was happening to them, Paul used the illustration of Sarah (freedom) and Hagar (bondage). The main point he emphasized was not about who the father was, but about who the mother was. Both those of the Jewish faith and Christians are connected to the father of faith, Abraham. The character and condition of the child depend on the mother, whether she was in bondage or free. There was a difference in their birth. Abraham tried to fulfill God’s promise through his own efforts. Hagar and Ishmael symbolize the covenant made at Mount Sinai.
The new birth by the Spirit of God gives the new believer a position of freedom in Christ. Ishmael was born of the flesh. Isaac's birth was a miracle by God's power after Sarah had passed the age of having children. The Lord Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." A spiritual birth provides freedom from the bondage of sin.
There are also two "Jerusalems" mentioned in this illustration. The “Jerusalem which now is” belongs to the same category as the earthly city of Jerusalem. That represents Judaism and those who try to earn salvation through good deeds and keeping the law. The Jews were God's earthly people, and the Judaizers believed a Gentile had to become a Jew before God would accept them. They added their traditions and human standards to God’s word.
Legalists follow a list of “don’ts,” suggesting that good behavior influences God to love us and prompts Him to save us. The “Jerusalem which now is” was under political and spiritual bondage. Hagar, Mt. Sinai, and Jerusalem are connected to the law and lead to the bondage that the law causes.
The “Jerusalem, which is from above (and) is free,” is heavenly. This “Jerusalem” is symbolized by Sarah in the allegory. Christians are born of the Spirit and are already citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem. This reference points to the city of God, where Christ reigns, and believers are citizens of that city. Christians are born into freedom and belong to Jerusalem in heaven, which is the center of our attraction. Our citizenship is in heaven, so we pray to "our Father which art in heaven." Our hopes are centered on the One who ascended into heaven and will "descend from heaven with a shout."
The earthly Jerusalem of that time was destroyed. The "house" was made desolate as prophesied. The "mother of us all" remains untouched by human sin and the efforts of the flesh. Freedom has come to the people of God. So, what should we do with what causes bondage? "Cast out" is what would bring us back to what we have left and return us to a place where grace is powerless for believers, even though they have been saved by grace. Step forward confidently and live in the blessings of the freedom we have in Christ. Refuse to go backward in any way to the ideas, plans, and teachings of men who would tie you to those things that are unbiblical and designed by men to attract others to what is false. It may seem attractive by human standards to adapt to what is popular, but the truth remains that true liberty is what we have in Christ.
The “children of promise' represent Isaac in the allegory. He was born miraculously through God's power and promise to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. They trusted God and saw the promise fulfilled in Isaac. He symbolizes those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. This plan of salvation is “Jerusalem from above,” contrasting with the sin-stained works of those in “Jerusalem which now is.”
The Galatians lost their joy by listening to those who taught that bondage was necessary to be accepted by God. When we realize we are already free in Christ, we are motivated to obey, love, and serve Him. The words of Isaiah 54 were given by Paul to encourage the Galatian believers to follow only the Lord Jesus Christ. Gentile Christians are in the same privileged position as Isaac because we are children of promise.
The false teachers who came to Galatia and opposed the Gospel are represented by Ishmael, who persecuted Isaac. Ishmael did not inherit the promise of God, but Isaac, the son of the freewoman, did, and he trusted God's faithfulness to His word through faith.
I wonder whether some unbelieving Galatian citizen might think this way. “When the Gospel came first to our town, people thought it was really quite strange. Someone from far away, unknown to those who lived here for generations, would preach to us that it was necessary to change for us to be accepted by God - Who did he think he was? He said we needed to have a spiritual rebirth. However, the basis of the challenge, he said, was God through His Word, which gave his message great weight.
Some people in our town believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it was easy to see a real difference in them. They said it was a personal choice to accept Jesus as their Savior. They believed they were forgiven of their sins because He took the death sentence imposed on every sinner when He died on the cross for them. They talked about their faith and God's amazing grace, and said they now knew they had eternal life. What happened to them truly changed this place of darkness; now there is some light.
How strange it is that they are returning to what they abandoned and claimed was wrong. I wonder whether what they said they believed was actually true or if they were fooling us all along. Maybe they are just trying to do what they think will please us now. We were starting to believe they were right. I had been considering asking them how I could accept and learn to walk by faith, not sight.